ttie Black. My mother and I
live here just by ourselves since my father died."

"Oh," Edna felt very sorry that Nettie was fatherless, but she did not
know exactly what to say about it. "Will your mother be worried about
your being here alone?" she asked after a moment.

"I s'pose she will, but it can't be helped. I know she would have come
if she could. I only hope my aunt isn't worse. I wish she could know I
am not to be alone."

"And I wish, my mother knew I was safe," returned Edna. "I am sure,
though, that she thinks I am at my uncle's in the city, and I hope she
does think so."

"Are you quite warm, now?" asked Nettie. "If you are we will have some
supper."

"Oh, you are very kind," returned Edna a little embarrassed. "I think it
is very hard on you to have me come in this way like a stray cat."

Nettie laughed. "I like stray cats, and we always take them in. There is
a lovely one in the kitchen, now, that we make a great pet of. He came
to us so thin and miserable, but now he is as fat as butter."

"I'd love to see him," returned Edna, "and won't you let me help you get
supper?"

"There isn't so very much to get," returned Nettie a little
shamefacedly. "There is only bread and butter and what is left of the
rice-pudding I had for dinner. We could toast the bread, and there's
milk. If you don't mind my taking part of the milk for it, I could have
milk-toast and we could drink cambric tea."

"I like cambric tea," replied Edna, "and I am very fond of milk-toast.
Oh, dear, I am so thankful to be here instead of out in the cold."

"I am thankful, too. I'll go out and make the toast. Will you come?"

Edna was pleased enough to do this, to make the acquaintance of the big
black cat, and to help make the toast. "I don't see how you will ever
know how to make the dip part," she said to Nettie.

"Oh, but I do know. Mother taught me, and I can do it very well. The
great thing is not to let the milk burn and to put in only the least
little bit of thickening."

Edna watched the process admiringly. Nettie was so very expert and
bustled around like an experienced housekeeper. The house was very
small, only two rooms downstairs and two up, with an attic over all, but
everything was neat and clean, and the dishes, of course, were set out
in an orderly manner upon a white tablecloth. The dish of smoking toast
flanked by the rice pudding made an excellent meal. Nettie poured the
tea and served her guest in the most